Kuwaiti Oil Tanker Carrying 2 Million Barrels Catches Fire After Drone Attack At Dubai Port

A Kuwaiti crude oil tanker anchored in the waters off Dubai caught fire after what authorities described as a drone attack, with officials confirming that all crew members are safe and no injuries have been reported.

The tanker, identified as the Kuwait-flagged Al-Salmi and linked to Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, was carrying a full cargo of crude oil at the time of the incident.

The vessel was anchored in Dubai port waters when the strike occurred, damaging its hull and causing a fire onboard. Authorities later said maritime firefighting teams responded quickly and brought the blaze under control.

Kuwaiti state media, citing Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, reported that the ship was carrying around two million barrels of oil sourced from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, with its intended destination listed as Qingdao, China.

The company also warned initially of a possible oil spill, although Dubai authorities later confirmed that no leakage had been detected while damage assessment continued.

Officials in Dubai said the attack involved a drone and that response teams worked through the night to contain the fire. They added that all 24 crew members on board were safe and accounted for.

Dubai authorities confirm that response teams have successfully contained the incident involving the Kuwaiti oil tanker in Dubai waters, with no oil leakage and no injuries reported.

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 31, 2026

The incident happened amid rising tensions in the region involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, following military actions that began on February 28

Since then, merchant vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz and nearby Gulf waters have reported multiple attacks involving missiles and drones.

After the tanker attack, US crude oil prices rose by more than $3 per barrel due to concerns about possible disruptions to oil supply routes through the Gulf.

On the same day, a Greek-owned container ship called Express Rome, operating near Ras Tanura off the coast of Saudi Arabia, reported two separate incidents in which unknown projectiles hit the water close to the vessel.

Maritime security sources said the events occurred within a short time span and the crew remained unharmed.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had earlier claimed responsibility for an attack on the same vessel in March, according to maritime risk monitoring groups. However, no group has taken responsibility for the latest incidents involving either the tanker or the container ship.

References: Reuters, The Guardian